Breakfast Casserole in the Morning, Creamy Split Pea Soup & Cabbage-Carrot Salad in the Evening, January 3, 2015

I'm trying to get into the habit of making us something nice for breakfast on Saturday mornings. I'm not at all a morning person, so that is one strike against this working. We also tend to hit the door shortly after we get up, so that's another strike. But, yesterday, I succeeded in making a really yummy breakfast casserole for our brunch. I put it together Friday night before bed, so all that was left for me to do yesterday was bake it. With a Harry & David's pear, it was a splendid thing.

Saturday Morning Breakfast Casserole

1 lb. sausage, browned and drained

6 slices bread, torn into pieces

4 oz. chopped green chiles

2 cups shredded Cheddar

6 eggs

1 c. milk

Salt & pepper

 Mix sausage, bread, chiles, and cheese. Whisk eggs with milk, salt, and pepper. Mix with sausage. Place in a greased 13x9. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover casserole and bake 50 minutes. Serves 8-10. This can be made with turkey sausage or veggie crumbles, whole grain bread, reduced-fat (but fat-free is not so hot) cheese, and skim milk for a more healthful breakfast. 

We had a simple soup and salad dinner. I love split pea soup, while my wife is not as enthusiastic as I am about it. All I can say is that she's lucky it wasn't lentil soup, which she abhors and I adore. Actually, she ended up liking the soup, after all. The salad, a cabbage and carrot combo, was a little bit sweet and very refreshing, a nice counterpoint to the stalwart flavor of the soup. Both of these recipes are inspired by recipes from the Monastery soup & salad cookbooks by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette. They are marvelous cookbooks and I strongly suggest getting yourself a copy of each!

Creamy Split Pea Soup

40 oz. chicken or veggie broth

1 c. dried split peas

1 onion, chopped very finely

1 carrot, peeled and chopped very finely

1 bay leaf

Salt & pepper

A handful of chopped parsley

3 tbsp. olive oil

3 tbsp. flour

2 c. milk (skim is fine; vegans can probably use soy milk)

Put the broth, split peas, onion, & carrot in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook about half an hour. Add the bay leaf, salt, pepper, and parsley. Cook another 15 minutes, covered. Remove th bay leaf. Mix the oil and flour into a paste, then stir into the soup. Add milk and, stirring the whole time, bring the soup to a boil. Serves 4-6.

Cabbage & Carrot Salad

2 c. shredded green cabbage

2 c. shredded red cabbage

3 carrots, peeled & grated

1/2 c. golden raisins

1/3 c. olive oil (very good quality, please)

5 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

5 tbsp. orange juice

2 tsp. sugar

Salt & pepper

Mix vegetables and raisins. Whisk the rest together until it thickens and blend with the salad. Serves 4-6.